SACO – A hazmat drill on Wednesday morning brought emergency officials from York and Cumberland counties together to prepare for the real thing.

Firefighters from Portland, South Portland, Saco, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach along with staff from York County Emergency Management Agency joined together at the Saco Fire Station on North Street to participate in a training scenario.

In the mock scenario, the Saco Fire Department received two envelopes with unknown substances, which were represented by two open envelopes in the fire station’s conference room, one with baking soda, anther with protein powder.

Firefighters from both counties readied to carry out a plan of action. Hazmat teams had their vital signs taken to assure they were in satisfactory shape to proceed, put on oxygen tanks and suited up in brightly colored protective gear.

One team went into the fire station to examine the simulated unknown substance in the conference room and to determine whether it was hazardous.

Outside the fire station, was a decontamination, or decon line. Members of hazmat teams pass through the decontamination line to rid themselves of any potential hazardous material, going through a number of steps to wash and rinse and take off their protective gear.

“Once you step out of the decon line, everything harmful is left behind,” said Saco Deputy Fire Chief David Pendleton.

Hazmat situations are different from fires, and so is the way firefighters respond to them, Pendleton said. When firefighters are called to a fire, they must take action immediately, whereas, in a hazmat situation, the response is more methodical and thought out.

Wednesday’s drill was the first time agencies from York County and Cumberland County partnered together for hazmat training.

York County Emergency Management Deputy Director David Francoeur said Portland and South Portland have more advanced technology to respond to hazardous incidents than the York County departments. He and other officials were enthusiastic about the partnership, which he said had been discussed for a several years.

“We all worked very well together, learned a lot from each other, and conducted quality training,” Pendleton said.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325, or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.